Impermeable suit for chemical warfare



Oct. 24, 1933. THOMPSON 1,931,562

IMP-ERMEABLE SUIT FOR CHEMICAL WARFARE Filed Oct. 21, 1951 BER/AH MTHOMP Q/V INVENTOR ZL/X M ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 24, 1933 UNITED STATESPATENT err-ice WARF SUIT FOB cnmcsn (Granted under act of March 8,amended April 30, 1928: 8'10 0. G. 157) This invention relates to a suitthat is impermeable to the gases used in chemical warfare, and moreespecially to one that may be worn continuously for long periods withoutdiscomfort.

It is the object of my invention to provide means for removing from theinterior of a suit of the kind specified the air that has become fouland warm through contact with the body .of the wearer and replacing itwith fresh air that has been chemically treated to neutralize thenoxious gases present in the atmosphere in that locality.

In the drawing:

Fig.1isarepresentationofamanwearinga suit made according to myinvention;

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are respectively back, side and front views of thebellows by means of which the circulation of air in the suit is forced;

F18. 5 is a schematic view of the connections between the bellows and agas mask canister;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the valve through which the air frominside the suit is taken into the bellows:

Fig. 7 is a like view of the valve through which the air from within thesuit is discharged into the atmosphere.

Heretofore the suits used to protect men against the gases used inchemical warfare have not been efi'ective against liquid mustard gas dueto the necessity of having the material of such suits sumciently porousto permit the escape of the body exhalations. The fabric of a suitventilated in the manner herein disclosed may be made absolutely tight,so that even if the wearer is sprinkled with liquid mustard gas or thelike, he will be unharmed thereby. Cloth such as was used in theofiicers blouse, old time, when given a tight weave to make itair-tight, and treated to withstand mustard gas and Lewisite for longperiods, is very satisfactory for this purpose.

The suit 8 is in the form of a one piece garment, with attached hands 9,feet 10 and head 11. Down the front, from Adam's apple to crotch, is aseparable seam-fastener 12, gas-tight when closed. The seam 12 is notcontinued higher because the gas mask cannot be properly fitted on if aseam extends beyond that point, the mask covering the face and closingthe opening left in the suit therefor. In previous suits of this kind afiap seam extends from the top of the tightly closable seam to the faceopening, but as it cannot be made gastight, it is not used by me. A suitmade according to my invention is somewhat more difficult to put on thanwhen it can be opened to the face aperture, but this difficulty can belargely overcome bymakingthemitoversb-afnctcrtobe desiredforventilationpurposesanyway.

Theventilatingbellowsorbseatha-nflluthe naturalmovementofthetorsodmtotheaetiim ofthelungsanddiaphragm. Whmapcnm'n 00breathingatanordinaryratemostdnch motionoccursintheregionofthedinmlustabove thestomachandbelowthechutgthe motionextendingouttothesidesotthetono. butduringheavierbreathingdnetcesermtheas said movements extendtothechstsho.

The breather commisesalightbutrigidi'rnme,

. preferably made of fibre board, having front sections 13 and 14, andsectiorn 15 and 1 ml each side. Transverse strips 17 and 18 ofstiffening 10 material, such as the fibre board mentioned or lightmetal, extend acrostheback ofthelkvice andareattachedtoabackstiifenerlfl. Straps 20aresecuredtotheframeandpnssovertheshoulders tosupport the breather. Amfiui- 15 ble diaphregm2lofsilkorlikematerialhncuredatitsedgestoeachsectiondtheframor thediaphragmmaybeintheformdahag whereof one side is attached to the entireinner surface of theframe section. Adjustableelasflc so straps 22 areattachedtothediaphrngnlanndfastenedaroundthebodyofthewearerwithasnugfltsothatcontractionofthetossodurhigexhalation of the breath willretract the diaphragm somewhat away fromtheframeJettingupaparas tialvacuumanddrawingairintothespneebetween the diaphragm and thefrnme. 11pmexpansion ofthetorsobyinhalatiomtheairthns drawn into the apparatus isexpelled.

Airfrom the exterioristakenhythedia-so phragmsonthefrontsectionsthrowhapestlnu 23 and 24whichareeonnectedtoagnsnmicanister, as hereinafter explained, thbair being discharged into thesuit thmluh apertures 25 and 26 whichareconnectedtomie-wayvnlves assothatairmaynotbedrawninthesethrm h. At the sides, onedlaphragmisconunmtotlnztwo sections 15 and 18, air being drawn thereintothrough tubes 27 that extend down into the he of the suit,andbeingdischargedtotheatmosphere through apertures 28 that areconnected to suitable valves. A better cireulattm in the legs iseffected by having the air withdrawn through tubes 27, as the airrdeasedinio the suit throughapertures25and28willlnoredownto 106 replacethatwhichisremovedtothenhlnlphere.

A gas mask canister 28 containing gas-neutralizing chemicalsiscan-iedinthepocketclosed by fastener 29. A pipe 30, including adint-oil valve 31, connects canister 28 to branch lips. 110

struction of gas masks.

32 that lead to apertures 23 and 24:, there being flapper check valves33 in the pipes 32 to permit air to be taken into the breather butprevent movement thereof in the opposite direction. The connectionbetween the breather and the canister is made flexible by the insertionof a length of hose 34, preferably circumferentially corrugated toprevent collapse, as is well known in the con- Flanges 35 screwed onpipe 30 are firmly clamped against the impermeable fabric 36 inside thecanister pocket to prevent access of gas around the pipe, a pad 37fastened to the fabric being interposed between canister 28 and thebreather frame to prevent wearing through the fabric between them.

Tubes 27 are connected to fittings 33 that are secured to frame sections16 and carry one-way valves 39 which permit air to be drawn from theinterior of the suit by the diaphragm but prevent the return of air tothe suit. Apertures 28 are in communication with tubes 40 that aresecured to the fabric of the suit around holes in pockets 41, therebeing a fitting 42 carrying a one-way valve 43 in each of the pockets ilto permit expulsion of air from the side diaphragms of the breather butprevent access of gas into the suit therethrough, the fabric beingclamped between tube 40 and fitting 42 to make the suit impervious togas at that place. All the one-way valves should be made of rubberexcept the outlet valves 3, which are preferably of alun num sincerubber is somewhat affected by mustard gas.

Openings with gas-tight closures are provided at 44 for the hands and at45 for the feet, so that those members may be free of the suit when notin gas. Tie-ties 46 are provided for securing the feet 10 of the suitagainst the backs of the legs thereof when the wearer has his feet outof them while wearing the suit. The pocket at 47 is for reception of abody waste remover, as described in my copending. application SerialNumber 573,159, filed November 5, 1931, which has matured into PatentNo. 1,898,104, issued February 21, 1933. Tie-ties 48 are provided on theoutside of the suit to permit drawing the breather more tightly againstthe body in case it is found, after the suit is on, that the breather isheld too loosely to function properly.

The suit is put on by opening seam 12 all the way down, inserting thefeet, then the left arm and head, and last the right arm, the oversizeof the garment permitting this to be done. Shoes worn with this suitneed not be impermeable to gas, as they are wom over the feet 10.

It will be understood that the above description and accompanyingdrawing comprehend only the general and preferred embodiment of my invention and that various changes in construction, proportion andarrangement of parts may be made within the scope of the appended claimsand without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention.

The invention described herein maybe manufactured and used by or for theGovernment of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties thereon.

' I claim:

1. Means for protection against chemicals, comprising a garmentimpervious to such chemicals adapted to envelop all but part of the faceof a wearer, a gas-tight seam extending from the crotch thereof almostto the face opening therein, a plurality of pockets in the fronttheremenace of, each of said pockets having a gas-tight closure, andmeans including a frame that is substantially non-resilient and aflexible portion adapted to contact the torso of a wearer coacting withsaid frame to form an enclosed space operable solely by respiratorymovements of the body of a wearer connected with said pockets toventilate the interior of said garment.

2. Means for protection against chemicals, comprising a garment adaptedto substantially completely envelop a wearer, and means for ventilatingthe interior of said garment including a substantially rigid framehaving front and side sections adapted to be supported inside saidgarment on the torso of said wearer, two light diaphragms on the frontof said frame and one on each side thereof forming enclosed spaces ad=jacent said frame, adjustable means for connecting said diaphragms tothe body of the wearer so that respiratory movements of the torsoactuate said diaphragms to draw air into and expel it from said spaces,a pocket in said. garment, in said pocket a canister containingsubstances to neutralize harmful gases, a pipe connected to saidcanister through a shut-0d valve, a branch from said pipe communicatingwith each of the said enclosed spaces at the front of the frame, aone-way valve in each of said branches to .prevent passage of air fromsaid spaces to said canister, valve controlled apertures to permit airto pass from said front enclosed spaces to the inside of said garment, atube extending downwardly into each leg of said garment andcommunicating with an enclosed space at the side of said frame, a valvein each of said tubes to permit air to move into said spaces but not outtherefrom, means connecting each of said side enclosed spaces with theexterior of said garment, and a one-way valve in each of said means toprevent passage of air from theexterior into the respective space butpermit egress of air therefrom.

3. Means for ventilating the interior of an impermeable garment,comprising a substantially rigid frame adapted to be supported on thetorso of a wearer, a flexible diaphragm secured to I the front of saidframe and connectible to the body of the wearer to be moved by therespiratory movements thereof to draw air into and expel it from a spacewhereof said diaphragm forms one' wall, means to conduct air to saidspace, a oneway valve in said means, a container'in which is material toneutralize harmful gases disposed in the path of air being drawn intosaid space, means controlled by a one-way valve to permit egress of airfrom said space, a second diaphragm operable by the said respiratorymovements and in part defining a second. space, one-way control means toadmit air from the interior of said garment into said second space, andone-way' control means to permit expulsion of air from said second spaceto the exterior of said garment.

4. In combination, an impermeable garment, means to ventilate theinterior thereof comprising a bellows-like device actuable byrespiratory movements of the wearer thereof to draw air into and expelit from said garment, said device including a frame that issubstantially non-resilient and a flexible portion adapted to contactthe torso of a wearer coacting with said frame to form an enclosed spacein communication with the interior of said garment to cause circulationof air thereinand means to neutralize harmful 5.1n cqmbination. animpermeable mt, permeable garment, comm-lain a helical-likeaudmeangtoventiiatetheinteriormmdevbenehablebythereepintoryot prising abellows-like device nehnble by the WW, laiddeviee inciudingnfnmerespiratory movements of the wedrer thereof, that is substantiallynon-resilient and a. flexible said device including a. frame tint isauhetmportioundeptedtocontnctthetomotnveuer tiallynon-resilientandaflexibleportion adapted counting with said fame to forman enclosed to contact the torso or a wearer enacting with spaceinoommunication with Quinta-int of mid saidframetoformanmcloeedmincnmgnrmttodn'nirintoandexpeiitfrcmthe municationwith the interior 0! said garment to interior at lunch ament.drawairintoandexpelitimmnidnrmmt.

8. Means for ventilatin: the interior 0! an im- BIRIAK I. THOIPBON.

